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Post by ASR (therockisback) on Apr 23, 2022 14:31:31 GMT -5
Now that match was one of my favourite matches in WWE history and easily one of the best HIAC’s ever. That whole era was on another level.
But don’t you think looking back that Rikishi should have been replaced? I was always a fan of the guy and he is a legend but I still don’t think he should have been in such a high profile match with the biggest stars in wrestling history.
I know it made sense storyline wise at that time but I personally would have put Kane or Jericho in the match, it’s good that Benoit didn’t end up in the match and I’d also say that it would have been crazy to see Foley in there instead.
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Post by Scott! on Apr 23, 2022 14:52:30 GMT -5
I don't see why not? Why put Kane or Jericho in there when they had nothing to do with the whole time frame story line? Rikishi was being pushed hard, and he deserved to be in it. It was pretty much the culmination of the Rikishi/Rock and at the same time Rikishi/Austin storyline.
Had Kane "ran over" Stone Cold, then yeah it would have made sense.
But I think props to WWE for trying something different than the already on top stars. Yeah it petered out for Rikishi and he was back to doing the stink face/dancing routine 4 months later, but they did try and for that match in particular it made total sense for him to be in it. He gave us the best moment in the match so I don't think anyone can say he didn't try himself in it, and I don't think there's many lining up to have taken that bump backwards off of the cell.
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Post by ASR (therockisback) on Apr 23, 2022 15:28:33 GMT -5
I don't see why not? Why put Kane or Jericho in there when they had nothing to do with the whole time frame story line? Rikishi was being pushed hard, and he deserved to be in it. It was pretty much the culmination of the Rikishi/Rock and at the same time Rikishi/Austin storyline. Had Kane "ran over" Stone Cold, then yeah it would have made sense. But I think props to WWE for trying something different than the already on top stars. Yeah it petered out for Rikishi and he was back to doing the stink face/dancing routine 4 months later, but they did try and for that match in particular it made total sense for him to be in it. He gave us the best moment in the match so I don't think anyone can say he didn't try himself in it, and I don't think there's many lining up to have taken that bump backwards off of the cell. Storyline wise the whole thing was beautiful and damn entertaining on TV, some of the best story telling ever. It’s just looking back on everything I think it would have been sweet to see someone more worthy in the spot tbh. |
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Post by theoutlaw1999 on Apr 23, 2022 15:49:37 GMT -5
Rikishi was a great worker and storyline wise it made sense that he was in the match.
Also he took the most dangerous bump in the match so respect deserved for that.
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Post by Scott! on Apr 23, 2022 15:57:48 GMT -5
Storyline wise the whole thing was beautiful and damn entertaining on TV, some of the best story telling ever. It’s just looking back on everything I think it would have been sweet to see someone more worthy in the spot tbh. I don't think he wasn't "worthy", I just think he'd spent so long being somewhat of a comedy/fun good guy character that it took a while to really take him as a serious threat as a heel. WWE tried by making him the guy that took the "who ran over Stone Cold" spot, and I think that was really cool because the guy deserved the chance of a push and I thought he played a bad guy really, really well. I don't think it went as well as maybe hoped, as I said he was back to the dancing good guy by May in 2001 but I'm glad he got the chance to show he could do it and I wish he'd have been given a longer run as it. Once the whole story was done, he din't do too much after it of note but I'll always remember fondly his run in 2000 and he was the best moment of the whole match and that's the image I'll remember from the match. It's one of the best in Hell In A Cell history. |
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Post by ASR (therockisback) on Apr 23, 2022 16:37:30 GMT -5
Storyline wise the whole thing was beautiful and damn entertaining on TV, some of the best story telling ever. It’s just looking back on everything I think it would have been sweet to see someone more worthy in the spot tbh. I don't think he wasn't "worthy", I just think he'd spent so long being somewhat of a comedy/fun good guy character that it took a while to really take him as a serious threat as a heel. WWE tried by making him the guy that took the "who ran over Stone Cold" spot, and I think that was really cool because the guy deserved the chance of a push and I thought he played a bad guy really, really well. I don't think it went as well as maybe hoped, as I said he was back to the dancing good guy by May in 2001 but I'm glad he got the chance to show he could do it and I wish he'd have been given a longer run as it. Once the whole story was done, he din't do too much after it of note but I'll always remember fondly his run in 2000 and he was the best moment of the whole match and that's the image I'll remember from the match. It's one of the best in Hell In A Cell history. I was always a fan and I liked his push, I even think he should have gotten a push around 01/02 or even 03/04, I hated how he got fired on 04 too. I just think it’d be better to have a guy like Kane, Jericho, Foley etc in the match tbh... imagine 6 of the biggest stars in HIAC for the WWF Title. The star power alone was crazy so it didn’t matter who the 6th guy was but for me personally I’d throw in one of the 3 names mentioned above. The bump Rikishi took was crazy but maybe Foley or Kane would have also taken it at that time. That match was one of the best ever so it’s all good anyways. |
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Post by cordless2016 on Apr 23, 2022 23:42:19 GMT -5
Storyline wise it made sense that Rikishi was in it. Kayfabe wise, he was by far the weakest character in the match, but served his purpose as the guy who took the biggest bump of the match.
Jericho and Kane were in a totally separate feud from everyone else, so I think it was fine leaving them out of the match. If anyone was going to replace Rikishi, I think it should have been Benoit. He had been feuding with Rock, Taker, and HHH for the better part of the summer and fall and would have for sure increased the star power of the match over Rikishi.
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Post by TKO Propagandist on Apr 24, 2022 1:07:30 GMT -5
It was the perfect match to have given the storyline. All 6 had been connected together in the months prior. It was 6 of the WWFs biggest players at the time. It had some great moments. Although Austin getting his heat back at the end annoyed me. Save that till after the PPV goes off the air. Let Angle have his Cell conquering big victory.
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Post by hbkbigdaddycool on Apr 24, 2022 11:51:32 GMT -5
They were trying to build Rikishi up since October, so it made sense to me that he was in the match. Plus we wouldn't have gotten that sweet spot off the cell with Rikishi if he wasn't in the match.
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Post by rKoNomad316 on Apr 24, 2022 15:30:20 GMT -5
I agree Rikishi shouldn’t have been in the match & shouldn’t have been the 1 to have hit Austin with his car.
Rikishi I never saw him as top talent.
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Post by TKO Propagandist on Apr 24, 2022 16:35:33 GMT -5
I agree Rikishi shouldn’t have been in the match & shouldn’t have been the 1 to have hit Austin with his car. Rikishi I never saw him as top talent. It could be argued that Rikishi was number 4 babyface ahead of Taker but behind Rock, Austin & Jericho in the year 2000. But he turned because they were light on the heel side especially guys that could do jobs & be upper mid card heels. |
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Post by PJ on Apr 24, 2022 17:18:37 GMT -5
God I hated the Rikishi gimmick all he was to me was a weekly @$$ joke for King and JR. I loved everything he did prior to the Rikishi gimmick. As for the bump other than his weight being an issue I wasn’t impressed because he landed in the truck on mats underneath the hey. But he didn’t fall/drop nearly as far as Foley or HBK in the past.
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Post by Kill Em' All on Apr 24, 2022 20:22:53 GMT -5
Kane would of definitely added more in the place of Rikishi
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TheEvilDoink1987
Main Eventer
Joined on: Feb 22, 2010 21:37:52 GMT -5
Posts: 2,812
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Post by TheEvilDoink1987 on Apr 26, 2022 11:36:07 GMT -5
I think his heel turn was definitely very shortsighted, but people forget just how over Rikishi - and Too Cool - were in 2000. Those guys were white hot and people ate it up. The Worm and Stinkface received pops as loud as The People's Elbow.
Hard to remove Rikishi from that match as well because of his involvement with both Stone Cold and The Rock at that time. And it might be a pretty controversial take, but if it wasn't for Rikishi's crazy bump off the cage, that match is pretty damn forgettable. Easily one of the most loaded Hell in a Cell matches ever in terms of star power, but in my opinion the match didn't come close to living up the expectations given the participants involved.
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Post by The Brain on Apr 26, 2022 11:42:23 GMT -5
Every time I think of this match I think of this classic shot...  |
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TheEvilDoink1987
Main Eventer
Joined on: Feb 22, 2010 21:37:52 GMT -5
Posts: 2,812
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Post by TheEvilDoink1987 on Apr 26, 2022 11:47:02 GMT -5
God I hated the Rikishi gimmick all he was to me was a weekly @$$ joke for King and JR. I loved everything he did prior to the Rikishi gimmick. As for the bump other than his weight being an issue I wasn’t impressed because he landed in the truck on mats underneath the hey. But he didn’t fall/drop nearly as far as Foley or HBK in the past. I think his fall was on par with HBK's in terms of height. I will never argue that the bump from that first Hell in a Cell match is way more iconic. Still, even if there was a crash pad on that flatbed, a guy his size falling blindly backwards from that height had to be scary as hell. That is literally the only highlight of the match anyway so you take out Rikishi and that one is totally unmemorable. You can even argue that his splash off the cage that summer against Val Venis was the crazier bump. A tip of the cap to Val for taking that one. He proved that his balls were as big as his Venis that night. |
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Post by JokerFC on Apr 30, 2022 2:06:25 GMT -5
Given the storyline? it made 100% sense. Now you could argue oh the live long day that somebody else was meant to be the guy that ran Austin over or that somebody else could have got the spot but I recently watched that Raw where it was revealed and man alive it was a shocker to the crowd....you could hear a pin drop. Audience was hooked waiting for him to answer.
Vince was trying to create aanother top heel but it just didnt wash...esp[ecially when the already top heel in HHH was revealed as the mastermind behind it all.
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